It’s fairly safe to assume that Vernon Gholston has played his last game with the Jets after what has been a thoroughly underwhelming three seasons since he was drafted in the first round.

Considering the fact that Gholston has been inactive all three playoff games, including Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the Steelers when practice squad graduate Martin Tevaseu was signed to the 53-man roster and active, it’s fair to wonder if the Jets patience has worn out.

Gholston, the 2008 first-round draft pick who’s without a single NFL sack in three seasons, has received numerous verbal votes of confidence from coach Rex Ryan dating back to last season.

Yet Gholston has been a healthy scratch all postseason and, even with DE Shaun Ellis’ knee hurting, he couldn’t crack the lineup and was essentially replaced by an undrafted practice squad player playing in his first NFL game.

Former Jets DE Dennis Byrd, who spoke to the team before last week’s playoff win in New England, was the Jets honorary captain.

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The game-time temperature was expected to be around 10-degrees, by far the coldest game both the Jets and Steelers played this season. The coldest game in Jets history is believed to be their 1993 Week 15 loss in Buffalo, where it was 9 degrees with a 23-mph wind and minus-28 wind chill.

Of his 36 career starts, including five playoff games, Mark Sanchez has made eight starts when the temperature at kickoff was below 40. His record is 5-3, with 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

Evidence that Sanchez plays better in the bigger games: Entering Sunday night, in five career playoff games, he has 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, compared to 29 touchdowns and 33 interceptions in the regular season.

“I think the biggest stat is you look at the wins and all that, and fourth-quarter comebacks,’’ Ryan said. “I think that whether it’s clutch or whether it’s confidence, he has it. I think that’s a hard skill to develop. I think you either have it or you don’t.

“As a little kid he probably had it; I’m not sure. You’d have to ask Nick, his dad. I’m sure he’s had it, and I bet you he’s won at every sport: baseball, basketball, whatever it is. Because the great ones, the competitors, find ways to win and I think Mark is that kind of guy.’’

Speaking of Ellis, who had a career game last week against the Patriots but apparently injured a knee in practice Thursday, ESPN reported that he took a pain killer shot so he can play.

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Dating back to the 1994 season, last night was the sixth time the Steelers have hosted the conference title game. They are just 2-3 (that’s 1-2 at old Three Rivers Stadium and 1-1 at Heinz Field).